Iranian Journal of War and Public Health
Volume:6 Issue: 25, 2014

Aging is the result of accumulation of different detrimental changes in cells and tissues that increase the risk of disease and death with aging. Irreversible and progressive oxidative hindrance caused by “reactive oxygen species” is effective in aging. This study examined the association of age with oxidative stress indices in patients with severe pulmonary lesions by measuring the levels of these indices، 15-20 years after exposure. This cross-sectional study was done on 289 veterans with severe pulmonary lesions and 66 identical normal subjects in 2008. Blood samples were taken in the fasting state. ELISA method was used for measuring carbonyl protein and serum total antioxidant، Thiobarbituric Acid reaction for lipid peroxidation and FOX2 for total peroxide concentration of plasma samples. Differences between groups were measured by Student-T and test using SPSS 18 software. No significant differences were observed in levels of Carbonyl protein and oxidative stress index (the ratio of total antioxidant to total peroxide) between two patient and control groups، while total peroxide level of patient group was significantly (p<0. 001) less than control group. No significant correlation was seen between age and oxidative stress indices in both groups (p>0. 05). In order to eliminate and control the response to mustard gas in bodies of chemical injured people، total antioxidant increases and total peroxide decreases and oxidative stress index remains unchanged.

Emotional and mental preparedness can play an important role in making correct and timely decisions، proper performance implementation، increase morale and motivation of the athletes through effect on the quality of the relationship between the teammates and understanding the mutual emotions during competition. This study aimed to investigate and compare the level of emotional intelligence of the veteran and disabled volleyball players with non-disabled volleyball players and its correlation with national games. The present field study was done on 46 veteran and disabled volleyball players and 58 non-disabled volleyball players participated in the Iran Volleyball Super League Competition in 2011-12 who were selected by simple random sampling. In order to evaluate the athletes'' emotional intelligence، Cibria Shearing emotional intelligence questionnaire was used. The questionnaire evaluated five subscales including self-awareness، self-control، self-motivation، empathy and social skills. For data analysis، descriptive statistics and independent T-test were used to compare the subscales of emotional intelligence of the two groups. Pearson''s correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between emotional intelligence and the national game experience. There was a significant difference between self-control (p=0. 003; t=3. 54)، empathy (p=0. 016; t=2. 76) and social skills (p=0. 024; t=3. 41) subscales between two groups. The national games number had a significant correlation with social skills (p=0. 016)، and self-control (p=0. 004). High emotional intelligence has effect on optimal performance of sports skills.

Veterans due to inactive life styles and different problems like amputation، inactivity and different drugs consumption are more susceptible to obesity and its related diseases such as diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between general obesity (Body Mass Index) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference size) with type 2 diabetes in male Iranian veterans. The present case-control study was done on veterans referred to weight disorders clinic of Sasan Hospital in 2011-13. 135 type 2 diabetic male veterans (diabetic group) and 203 non-diabetic male veterans (non-diabetic group)، were selected using available sampling method. Age، education، physical activity in month before the study، and disability status were recorded in a checklist. Data were analyzed using Student-T، Chi-square and logistic regression analysis. A significant difference was observed between weight، waist circumference size and body mass index between diabetic and non-diabetic groups (p=0. 0001). The effect of waist circumference size on diabetes was significant. Body mass index showed no significant difference on type 2 diabetes. There is a correlation between waist circumference size and type 2 diabetes but body mass index has no effect on type 2 diabetes.

Not only directly involved in the war people، but also their families are exposed to the risk due to the mental and social effects. The present study was done to investigate the correlation between social support and social health of veterans’ wives. The present descriptive-correlational study was done on Tehran psychiatric veterans’ wives in 2009. Sample size was calculated 340 and stratified proportional sampling was done. A two-section questionnaire was used. The first section assessed social support and the second section assessed social health. Data analyzed by SPSS software and Kendall''s Tau، gamma and regression tests. The mean score of social support of veterans’ wives was 21. 2±27. 11. The mean score of social health of veterans’ wives was 12. 59±16. 24. There was a significant correlation between educational level and social health (p=0. 05). There was a significant correlation between social support and social health of veterans’ wives (p=0. 001). There was a significant correlation between each social support dimensions including emotional، informational، and instrumental and social health of veterans’ wives (p=0. 001). No significant correlation was observed between veterans’ wives age and their social health. Higher the level of social support of veterans’ wives higher the social health of them. Family is the most important social support source for veterans’ wives.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiolytic disorder which is occurred following exposure to incidents followed by damage or threat. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of having a post-traumatic stress disorder man on the quality of life، depression، stress، anxiety and structure of the family. This cross-sectional comparative study was done on the families referred to Shiraz Jannat Hospital in 2011-12. 100 families having PTSD man and 100 normal families were selected using achievable sampling method. Data collected by quality of life questionnaire، depression، anxiety and stress questionnaire، and agreeableness and family cohesion scale completed ​​by man، their spouses and children over the 18 years old. Data analyzed by SPSS 18 and Independent-T test. Physical health، mental health and environmental health domains of men in PTSD group were significantly less than men in control group، but a significant difference only was observed in mental health scores between two groups. Depression and stress in men and families of PTSD group were significantly higher than men and families of control group. Men and families of PTSD group performed weaker compared to men and families in control group in the cohesion and adaptability domains. Families having husband with PTSD have poor condition in the structural and emotional and generally in quality of life domains compared to the families without husband with PTSD.

Pigmentation disorders are one of the main skin problems due to mustard gas exposure in chemically-injured veterans. The aim of this study as part of the Sardasht cohort study was to investigate the association between IL-6 and IL-4 and pigment disorders in chemically-injured veterans exposed to mustard gas. In this study، 500 subjects including 372 people exposed to mustard gas and 128 people as control group were studied. Systematic random sampling was done. 2cc of peripheral blood of each subject was taken and the blood was allowed to be clotted at the room temperature (37°C). Tubes containing the clotted blood centrifuged for 5min and the serum was separated. Serum levels of IL-4 and IL-6 were measured using the ELISA sandwich and kit was determined using ELISA reading apparatus. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the serum levels of cytokines in the studied groups. Serum levels of IL-6 in veterans with and without reduction or increase in pigmentation disorders showed no significant difference. But compared with control group، there was a significant reduction in veterans without hypopigmentation disorder، while there was no significant difference between control group veterans with hypopigmentation disorder. Serum levels of IL-4 significantly increased in veterans with hypopigmentation disorder compared with veterans without the disorder. Changes in serum levels of Il-4 and Il-6 may be involved in hypopigmentation.

Sulfur mustard causes blister and was used for the first time as a chemical weapon in World War I and during the Iran-Iraq war as well. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of C→T polymorphism in -509 promoter region of TGF-β1 gene with long-term pulmonary complications in sulfur mustard chemical injures. This study was done on 252 chemically-injured veterans including 107 exposed subjects with pulmonary problems and 145 subjects without pulmonary problems. Peripheral blood samples were collected in the tubes containing EDTA. Then، genomic DNA was extracted of peripheral blood leukocytes. PCR-RFLP method was used to determine genotype of the subjects. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 18 by Chi-square test. 33 subjects in chemically-injured patients with pulmonary problems group and 43 subjects in groups without pulmonary problems had CC homozygous genotype. 59 chemically-injured patients with pulmonary problems and 76 subjects of the group without pulmonary problems had CT heterozygous genotype (p=0. 967). Also، 15 subjects of pulmonary problems group and 26 subjects of the group without pulmonary problems had TT homozygous genotype (p=0. 473). No significant difference was observed between different genotype distribution of the polymorphism of C→T in -509 promoter region of TGF-β1 gene of with and without pulmonary problem groups. C→T polymorphism in -509 promoter region of TGF-β1 gene is not correlated with pulmonary problems in chemical injured veterans.

Below the knee amputation is the most common of lower limb amputations. The suspension system of the below the knee prostheses، is an important component of it. The aim of this study was to compare the piston movement of two types of prostheses including «conventional supracondylar PTB» and «supracondylar PTB with pneumatic suspension» in the unilateral below the knee amputee. Patient & This simple quasi-experimental study was done in the Rehabilitation Clinic of Orthotics and Prosthetics Department of Iran Rehabilitation Sciences School، inviting the unilateral below the knee amputee in 2014. After air-cushion designing and manufacturing process، the piston movement of a conventional supracondylar PTB prostheses and supracondylar PTB prosthesis with pneumatic suspension was measured using imaging and markers in 4-step constant loading test including full weight bearing، semi-weight bearing، non-weight bearing and the 30N loading. The mean vertical movement of the markers in conventional prostheses in non-weight bearing was ±15mm، whereas this value ​​decreased in the pneumatic prostheses (5±mm). The mean vertical movement of the markers following 3kg loading in the conventional prostheses was 20±mm while it decreased in the pneumatic prostheses (10±mm). Piston movement decreased using the supracondylar PTB prostheses with pneumatic suspension.